


Smallest of Things

by UlisaBarbic



Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: Child Son Goten, Childhood Trauma, Family, Family Drama, Family Feels, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Smart Son Goku (Dragon Ball)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-09
Updated: 2020-10-09
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:54:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,647
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26920960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UlisaBarbic/pseuds/UlisaBarbic
Summary: In the aftermath of Resurrection F, Goten is turning a cold shoulder to his father. Now, Goku has to uncover why.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 23





	Smallest of Things

“I think Goten’s mad at me.”

ChiChi turned from her book. “Hmm?” She and Goku has taken to spending some time together outside ever since he’d come back to life. Sometimes they’d talk, sometimes they’d bring a small snack or sometimes, like now, they would just linger in one another’s company. Sometimes not doing anything at all, sometimes each of them doing a favorite relaxing mood. It was always a good time to talk though.

“I said I think Goten is mad at me.” Goku pouted, looking rather like a child himself. “He didn’t wanna hang out tonight and he keeps ignoring me.” If there was one thing Goku hated, it was the silent treatment. “Think he’s mad at me?”

ChiChi always felt her heart ache at those questions because in a lot of ways, Goku still didn’t know his second son that well. His seven year absence while thankfully and blissfully at an end was still impactful.“Sounds like he’s a little mad at you, yes.” She paused, “Anythin’ happen?”

“Dunno.” Goku admitted with a shrug of his shoulders. “I didn’t think so. But I musta done somethin.’”

ChiChi leaned over, “Or maybe he misinterpreted somethin.’ That happens a lot too.”

Goku turned to her, looking every bit as lost as he felt. “So...what should I do?” Had this been Gohan, he would have known the approach to take but he was still learning what worked with Goten. He was better at figuring it out than when he first came home but for some things like this, he deferred to his wife’s expertise. 

Shutting her book and leaning back a little, letting the breeze cool her face, ChiChi remarked, “After breakfast tomorrow, ask him. Tell ‘em you know he’s mad at you and you wanna know why so you can fix it. Remind him that you’re not gonna just poke at his ki, he has to talk to you.” She smiled “If he still stays stubborn, we can sic Gohan on him. Pretty sure Gohan could convince him the sky was green if he really tried.”

Goku nodded, turning to face the waxing moon. ChiChi laid her cheek into his shoulder with a smile. “Goten can’t stay mad at people very long, Goku. He’s like you that way. Be honest with him and it’ll be fine.”

Giving her a soft smile, Goku remarked, “Hard to bring down your spirits isn’t it?”

Eyes glistening a bit as she lingered in Goku’s scent, she replied, “I’m just glad you’re around for him to be mad at. I’m glad you’re here to play with our granddaughter. I’m glad you here with me.”

Goku smiled at her. She looked beautiful under the moonlight but then, despite how often he forgot to tell her, she always looked beautiful. He never understood her insistence of her “age lines” or anything like that. He saw their past in her face and that was beautiful.

Wrapping his arm around her, he gave her a gentle squeeze—mindful of his strength—“Me too.” He looked skyward then towards his wife, taking in the moment. A moment that, as ChiChi mentioned, was nice to be able to have. Was a miracle that he had the opportunity. All stressors aside...

“Me too.”

OOO

“Hey, Goten!”

Goku trotted after his son after they’d finished eating. A part of him hoped that the night had cast away whatever gripes the boy might have had with him but no such luck. Goten gad barely said anything at all that morning and nothing directly to him.

Now, the boy wasn’t event acknowledging him talking to him. 

“Goten, I know you’re mad at me,” he tried again “But I don’t know why. Can you at least lemme know so I can fix it?”

That at least got the boy to turn and look at him. That was something. Though, ooo, if that face was not a regular thundercloud. So much anger in those eyes.

“Please?” Goku added. “I hate it when my boys are mad at me. But sometimes I make mistakes too. So...talk to me?”

After a moment’s pause, Goten answered, in a voice all but spitting venom. “You told us to leave.”

Goku blinked, surprised. “Huh?”

“On the battlefield. When Fre-eza,” Goten was pretty sure that name was right but he stumbled just a bit in doubt “came. You told Trunks and me to leave. Said it wasn’t the place for kids.” He filled with fire. “You told us to go away, you said it wasn’t a place for kids!”

Goku nodded, “I did.” Realization dawned on him. “Wait...THAT’S what you’re mad about? That?” Goku knelt to be more eye-level. “Why—“

“You didn’t make Big Brother leave the battlefield!” Goten announced, eyes gleaming and fists clenched. “Gohan tol’ me all the stories! When it was the Saiyans, he was there and the Androids and Cell and HE fought Freeza. And he was five!” The boy looked hurt, almost defeated. “Why do you shoo ME away but you let him stay!”

Warmth flooded from Goku’s face and he sat down in the hall, patting the ground next to him. After brief hesitation, Goten flopped down. “I think you’ve got your facts a little off, Goten. I sent you away because I had the option to. I let you fight Buu, right?”

The boy nodded. “Yeah. That’s why it makes me MORE mad. I could fight Buu but now I can’t fight? It’s not fair!”

Goku leaned back, “Goten, the battle with Buu was different.” He frowned, “If I coulda kept you out of it then I would have. If I thought I woulda been able to come back so you and your brother wouldn’t have had to worry about this kinda stuff, I would have kept you out of it. And with Freeza, I had that choice.”

Goten frowned. “But what about Gohan? All those battles—“

“If I’d had a choice, he wouldn’t have been in those either,” Goku said simply. “He was thrown into the battle with the Saiyans. Me and your mom had no say in that. Going to Namek...we weren’t expecting any battles and he just dealt with it. The Androids—“

“Gohan tol’ me he wanted to help!” Goten interrupted with a scowl. “And you let him. You even trained with him for a year straight and you and Mr. Piccolo trained him for three years!”

“Because we needed him to win. Without his power, we were sunk.” Goku said honestly. “Your brother, by the time Cell came along, was stronger than me.”

Goten set his father with a look, searching for any distruth in his eyes. “Gohan never tol’ me that.” The honest realization in his face was unnerving. He was so young. 

Goku nodded. “I don’t think he believed it himself. Still don’t think he does. But it was true. I fought Cell with everything I had and still came up short.”

Pouting, Goten remarked, “But now you’re all powerful Super Saiyan God so you don’t need me anymore.” His whole body deflated. “Not like you needed Gohan.”

Goku reached over and gently turned the boy’s head, “Hey. It’s not like that, Goten. Battle isn’t a game. I know sometimes it might seem that way and I won’t lie and say I don’t like it but it’s not a game. Has your brother ever told you the ins and outs of the battles he was in?”

Shaking his head, Goten remarked “Not really. Told me some of it but he always told me it wasn’t important if I asked him.”

“He doesn’t like to talk about them.”

“But he didn’t so much! And he was a little younger than me! That’s amazing, Dad!”

“Because he saw people die.” Goku said simply. “Because he thought he was gonna die. Because he was in so much pain that it was hard to think straight. Because there wasn’t anything or anyone else that could do anything so he jumped to the call. He was terrified and good reason to be. Do you really think I want you to feel that too?”

Looking at his fingers, Goten shook his head, “Guess not.” 

Goku reached out and gently ruffled the boy’s hair “Your brother lost a lot of his childhood. It wasn’t fair and it wasn’t right and if I could undo it, I would. You don’t have to though. Buu already took a good chunk of it. But you don’t hafta lose the rest.”

The boy considered this. He’d seen it reflected in Gohan’s face now that he took the time to think about it. When Gohan told him he’d missed his fifth birthday out in the wilderness. The way he always became melancholy around the anniversary of Cell—even now that Dad was back! How he’d gaze at him and Mom training with what Goten could only describe as longing. 

Something akin to shame rose in his stomach but Goten pushed it aside and with a face full of resolve, he shifted. The younger boy looked at his father. “But...we can still train?”

Goku grinned. “‘Course we can. You’re learnin’ trainin’ the way it oughta be, Goten. Fun. That’s the best way.”

He could hardly argue with that. Training with Gohan was fun. Training with Trunks was fun. Training with his dad had been fun so far. Was it really so bad to not have a battle with him?

Goten eyed his father “So...Big Brother got stronger than you?”

“He did. Probably will again before too long if I know him.”

Goten smiled. A sneaky, genuine one. “Well, if Big Brother can do it, then so can I!” He stood up, headed to door and paused in mid-exit. “I can do it, Dad!”

“Well, let’s see you do it, little buddy!” Goku remarked with a smile, chasing his youngest out into the sunlight. 


End file.
